Scars and Souvenirs
by MementoxMori
Summary: Post ME2/Pre ME3. A ghost from Shepard's past comes to bite her in the ass, and she must find a way to deal with it before all hell breaks loose.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: Please bare with me, this is my first shot at Mass Effect fic lol I'm taking this one chapter at a time as I feel out the characters. I've never tried anything from the Mass Effect world yet. But, I'm in love with the games and the pairings. :3_

* * *

><p>"Raise your arms, if you would Commander. I need to re-wrap your wounds." Chakwas tried not to chide Evie, but it was hard. The Commander was stubborn, that was for sure and she had insisted that she didn't need to stay in the infirmary. Chakwas thought otherwise, but she didn't have the patience or rank to argue.<p>

Evie had suffered extensive wounds on the suicide mission, but she would have broken every bone in her body to ensure the safety of her team. They had lost no one, though no one came out of the fight unscathed. There were various injuries, from cuts to broken bones. Of course, Shepard got it worse than anyone.

Wasn't that always the case?

Six broken ribs, a broken leg, and a dislocated shoulder. Not to mention the facial wounds and bruises. She looked like she had been through the ringer.

Carefully peeling off her shirt, she took a deep breath and squinted her eyes shut. The pain was intense and it made her head flash deep red behind her eyes. Her breath hissed between her teeth and Chakwas could have sworn Shepard growled at her.

"You know Councilor Anderson wants to see you."

"I know, Joker told me."

"I've been begging her to go see him for the past two days, doc." Joker's voice rang out over the system.

"Jeff, it is not nice to spy on them." EDI chided Joker and Evie could all but hear Joker's eyes rolling.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway. Councilor Anderson is getting impatient with you, Commander. You might want to think about heading in. We'll be in dry dock for…well… until they tell us otherwise. You have nothing better to do."

"Besides heal herself, Mr, Moreau. Which is something you should be doing as well."

"Oh, I am. Leather seats and my own supply of meds; I'm all set." Joker stated.

"Yeah, I'm going to head in after Chakwas patches me up." She had kept her old friend waiting long enough.

"I don't think it is wise for you to try and do this on your own." Chakwas warned.

"Who's supposed to go with me? Garrus and Kasumi are in ICU. Thane has two broken legs. Jacob and Miranda have their own shit to deal with. Tali is sick. I could take Legion with me, but how would the Citadel deal with a Geth following me around. I'm already in enough hot water with the Council and the Alliance. I don't need to add another straw to the camels back."

"You have a point, Commander. But…"

"But, what? Should I take Joker?"

"What? No, thanks Commander, I mean… I would love to, but I would rather someone break my bones first." There was a pause. "What about Zaheed or Jack?"

"Both banned from the Citadel."

"I don't even want to know how that is possible." Joker sighed.

"I'll just take Grunt with me."

Chakwas seemed to go along with the idea. Nodding her head, she sighed. "You won't be able to wear your usual armor, so just as long as you don't get yourself into trouble…"

"Me? Trouble? Naah." Evie smirked and closed her eyes as a surge of pain washed her vision out.

"Joker, get Grunt up here. " Chakwas ordered Joker, but by the time she finished Shepard was dressed and hobbling out of the med bay with her crutches.

"I got it, no worries. I don't need a babysitter." She sighed. Evie had let her platinum blonde hair grow out lately. It curled softly over her shoulders and her bangs hung in front of her face. Though, with the amount of blood she had been covered in lately, she had streaks of crimson stained throughout her tresses no matter how many times she scrubbed it.

Chakwas couldn't argue with Shepard, and neither could the Maker himself. The woman was as stubborn as a mule.

Hobbling her way out of the med bay, she passed Joker in the cockpit before leaving the ship. It would be a good long while before the Normandy would be up and running, not to mention her crew. The Reapers had made minced meat out of her people, but that didn't stop them.

It also wouldn't stop the Reapers – It would merely slow them down.

"Good luck, Commander. I would go with you bu—"

"Jeff, it is not nice to lie to the Commander." EDI's voice cut off Joker. "Commander, I would advise making this a short visit. Chakwas has imputed your vitals into my systems, your blood pressure is above optimal levels."

"Thank you, EDI. I appreciate your concern, but I'll be fine. So long as nobody pisses me off."

_That would be the day… _Joker thought to himself as he shook his head.

* * *

><p>"If one more person asks me if I need help, I'm going to <em>scream<em>." Evie stated, quite boldly as she made her way to Councilor Anderson's office. "And then I will bash them upside the head repeatedly with one of these crutches. I may not be able to walk on my own, but damn it I don't need anyone's fucking help."

Anderson's secretary looked up from her display and a slightly startled expression crossed her features.

"I – um… Can I help you Mi—"

"Commander Shepard. I'm here to see Councilor Anderson. Do NOT call me Miss… or ma'am." Pale storm gray eyes narrowed on the young woman. Evie was even more volatile than usual.

"Send her in, Lorena. I've been expecting her." A voice came from the office behind the girl's desk and she nodded. "Yes, Councilor."

Evie gave her best smile, but the feeling behind it was empty. "Thanks." Step by agonizing step she made her way in to see Anderson. "I'm sorry it took me so long to see you, Councilor. But, as you see I'm not in the best cond—" Evie's words were all but sucked from her lips as she looked up to see who was standing by Anderson.

Suddenly her chest felt tight, and her knees buckled. If it weren't for the crutches tucked under her arms, she'd have fallen.

"I'm sorry, Shepard. But, if you would have heeded my request sooner…"

With a wave of her hand, she closed her eyes and her fingers pressed into her eyes. Slow, shallow breaths and she waited for the ringing of her ears to subside. "Commander, your blood pressure is extraordinarily high. What is happening? Do I need to send someone to get you?" EDI's voice lacked concern, but that was to be expected of an AI.

"No. No, EDI, It's okay. I think I just saw a ghost."

"I could say the same about you, Commander Shepard." Kaidan's voice was as steely as ever, though the flinch around his eyes showed he had no clue she was coming.

"Very well, Commander. Do try and calm yourself, Jeff is about to jump out of his seat to get you."

"EDI! Why must you do that?" Joker's voice all but squeaked over the comm. "If I wanted her to know I was concerned, I would have told her."

"You're lying again."

"Enough. Just shut up. I'm fine. I'll talk to you when I get back." Evie slapped the comm. On her omni-tool and sighed before a slight smirk curled her lips having just computed Kaidan's remark. "Yes, well…for all you care, I should have stayed dead."

Kaidan flinched. That comment hit a bit too close to home for his tastes. Evie picked up on it and she grinned. It suited her just fine.


	2. Chapter 2

"EDI, you're going to get me busted one day, and then Shepard is going to break my fingers and toes so I can't navigate the ship…and then I will disconnect you." Joker threatened EDI as he glowered at the glowing sphere to his left.

"That would be against protocol, Jeff. I'm afraid I can't let you do that."

"Watch me…" He grumbled and then jumped when he heard voices behind him.

"Where's Shepard?" Grunt's growling voice made Joker almost cower in his seat. The krogan was the only one to come out of the suicide mission without any noticeable injuries.

The creature was a tank.

"She is not on board. She is currently in Councilor Anderson's office." EDI informed Grunt.

"With Kaidan…" Joker added.

"The runt?" Grunt asked and Joker nodded his head. "I hope she crushes his head. He is weak." Of course, everyone saw what had happened on Horizon, or heard about it. "I was supposed to go with her…"

"Yeah, but she pulled a Shepard and left without you." Joker teased and turned his chair around to face Grunt. "I suppose you could go find her if you'd like to."

"I would not advice that, Jeff. The Commander said she wanted to go alone."

"Do I ever listen to you, EDI?"

"You don't listen to anyone, Jeff."

"Ooh. Burn." Joker rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Come on Grunt, let's see what kind of trouble Shep got herself into."

"Can I crush the runt?"

"No." Joker shook his head and carefully lifted himself from his seat. "Well, I don't know. That will depend on what kind of mood Shepard will be in when we get to her."

"I still say she should have killed him on Horizon."

"Yeah, I think a bunch of us came to that conclusion." Joker wasn't exactly pleased with what transpired on Horizon. He knew Shepard didn't deserve that, and she had been a wreck ever since. Even if she never said anything to anyone, he'd known her longer than most. That, and he spied on her.

* * *

><p>"Well, I see that you are busy, so I'll just come back some other time." Evie shifted her weight on her good leg and looked between the two of them. All she needed to make this perfect was Udina barging in. The man still hated her.<p>

It would have made this visit perfect, really.

Evie turned and went to leave the room.

"No, no. I actually need you both in here. I was briefing Kaidan on your status of being a Spectre. And his, as well."

It took a moment, but Evie stopped and turned around to look at Anderson. "Wait, what?" Her eyes narrowed just a bit. "Did you say what I think you just said?"

"You are correct, Commander." Udina took that moment to slither out of his office like the snake he is. "Since you died and then deflected to Cerberus, we had to replace you as a Spectre. Commander Alenko has proven himself worthy."

"Udina, you know as well as I do that the Council agreed to reinstate Shepard's Spectre status. "

"Yes, with your persuasion, Anderson."

"Go back to your office, Udina."

All the while, Evie just kept that perfectly blank mask across her features; she also was trying hard not to make eye contact with Kaidan.

"I actually came out to talk to you, Anderson. In my office, please."

With a sigh and a nod, Anderson followed Udina into his office and that left Evie and Kaidan alone with the huge elephant in the room. The tension between the two of them was enough to choke on.

Shifting on her one good leg, she kept her gaze on the ground. There was so much she wanted to say, but she couldn't find the courage to do it – or the words. How could she tell him that she still loved him? Was it because she hated him? It was all very confusing for her. Duty always came first, she never gave in to her wants and desires with anyone.

Until Kaidan came along, that is.

She wanted to hit him, to scream at him…Evie wanted to do so much, but she was frozen in place, she couldn't do anything at all. She was afraid if she looked at him, she would lose all of her steely resolve. That he would be able to see just how defenseless she really was around him.

"So are you trying to copy me or something? I mean, I remember you never wanted to be in the kind of position a Spectre is in." That tone entered her voice. She knew that she was on the verge of reverting into the snide bitch everyone knew she could be at times. If she hurt him enough, it would mask any sort of pain she might be feeling. He would run away, and she'd be done with it. It wasn't like he was coming with her or anything.

"Not at all. I mean, I remember when being a Spectre meant something to you. You defended your position with everything you had." Kaidan stated coolly. "Someone needed to pick up the pieces and start over after you decided to work for the enemy."

The anger built up, she could feel it boiling in her veins. "I did not _choose_ to work for them. I was dead. I was floating off into oblivion and then nothing. I woke up in a lab and was told to run. I was shoved into a situation I could not control with people I didn't know nor did I trust them. I didn't even understand how it was that I was even alive." Her vision swam and she closed her eyes. "I did not choose this. I would much rather have stayed dead. I am so fucking sorry I disappointed you!" She was trying not to scream, but her voice rose and suddenly there was a pain in her chest that just got worse and worse every time she drew in a breath. Being that she had broken ribs, it wasn't in her best interest to get upset and yell, but she was never one to follow instructions.

Her balance faltered and before she knew it, she was collapsing to her knees and her breath was coming in shallow gasps. Evie's Omni-tool was going off like the Fourth of July.

"Commander? Commander are you there?" EDI's voice sounded so far away as Evie squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the pain that was swallowing her whole.

Evie felt hands on her, and she didn't even need to look up to see who it was. "Get your fucking hands off of me, Kaidan!" With what strength she could muster, she shoved him away. "I don't want you near me. Don't touch me." Her body shook with the effort of fighting off the wave of rage. Evie thought all of this had passed.

"Joker! Grunt! Get your asses to Shepard, NOW!" Tali's voice replaced EDI's over the comm.

"We're having a bit of trouble getting through C-Sec, but we'll be there ASAP." Joker responded. "Shit…shit."

"No!" Evie hit her Omni-tool and she fairly growled. "I don't need any fucking help!"

"Like hell you do, Commander. EDI, what are her vitals?"

"Well above the recommended numbers, Jeff. I would advise that you get her out of there before her heart explodes."

"Gee, thanks for that EDI." Evie's voice rang out.

"What's going on here?" Councilor Anderson came out of Udina's office when he heard the commotion.

"Nothing, I'm fine."

"Then, why are you on the floor?"

Evie shrugged her shoulders and tried to push herself to her feet, but with her broken leg, she just ended up on the ground again. "Fucking…" her string of curses was mumbled beneath her breath.

There was arguing coming from the front desk; Lenora was speaking sternly to someone. "Sir… SIR! You can't just barge in there!"

"We're here for Commander Shepard." Grunt spoke, and his voice filled the small room.

Joker came into the office first, hobbling and Grunt wasn't far behind him. "Sorry it took us so long, Shep. Seems that they don't like Krogans having so much firepower without knowing why." He looked behind him at Grunt. "Can you lift her up? I would…but I would break something."

Grunt nodded his head and approached Evie. "Don't you dare, Grunt." Came her growled warning. And as usual, Grunt ignored her and tossed Joker the crutches before lifting Evie completely off the ground. She looked so small in the Krogan's arms, but she didn't have the strength to fight him, even though her pride was now as wounded as her body.

"Take her back to the Normandy, Chakwas will be waiting for her. She won't be able to argue with the doc anymore. EDI, make sure that Chakwas clears a bed for her."

"Affirmative, Jeff."

Evie had passed out before they even left the office, and just as Joker was about to leave Councilor Anderson stopped him.

"Joker, I know that this isn't the best time for this… But Commander Alenko is to return to the Normandy with you. As you know, the events that have unfolded recently did not go without notice."

Joker would be lying if he said he wasn't floored by this news. "What? I guess… we saved the galaxy. Again."

"That may be so, but the Council wants an in-depth investigation of Shepard's involvement with Cerberus. They want to know just how deep she is in."

"Did you not get the memo? We're not on good terms with Cerberus anymore."

"I understand that, but before we can grant you Alliance protection, we need to know where her loyalties lie."

"You all are a bunch of fucking…I don't even have a good name for it! So in order for us to get help from you, we have to prove that we're not still with them?" Joker was pissed, he waved his hands and almost smacked Kaidan with the crutches. "Your new Commander nearly killed Shepard. Did you not realize that?"

"I'm a Spectre now, Joker." Kaidan finally spoke.

"What! Great." Bringing his free hand to his forehead, he pressed his fingers into his flesh a bit. "Do we have a choice?" He all but snorted, and when Anderson shook his head, Joker sighed. "Fine, come with me. But I'm telling you this now, Alenko. If you so much as cause Shepard harm again…I will break your face." There was fierceness in Joker's voice that Kaidan had never heard before. Joker was serious. Turning on his heel, Joker stormed out of the office to wait outside.

This was not going to end well…

When Joker left, Kaidan turned to Anderson and saluted. "What do you need me to do?"

"Just gather as much information as you can. Talk to her crew; get some data off of the ship itself. This sort of thing isn't new to you."

"No, but you know of our history."

"Exactly…that is what we're counting on." Udina chimed in as he came out of his office.

"Regain her trust, and we'll finally see whose side she's really on."

* * *

><p>A few hours passed when Evie regained consciousness, she was hooked up to monitors and bags of fluids. She was in her cabin, which surprised her. She guessed someone talked some sense into Chakwas. Her sight was blurry, and she was having trouble taking a full breath. Everything hurt, especially her head. Her wounds had been cleaned and re-bandaged.<p>

Reaching up, she brushed her bangs out of her eyes. Silence enveloped her, all but the routine beeping of the monitors. She took a moment to turn her head and look at the picture she had sitting on the bedside table. _His_ picture. Closing her eyes, she let the tears roll down her cheeks as she sobbed softly, she could feel her heart breaking all over again. The meeting ran through her mind, over and over again. He hated her, and that very thought made her sob harder, no matter how much it hurt her to do it.

For the first time since she had been given life back, she wished she were dead.

* * *

><p>"The Commander is awake, Doctor."<p>

"Thank you, EDI. Run a vitals scan, please."

"Yes, Doctor." A moment later, EDI spoke again. "Her blood pressure and heart rate is slightly above optimal levels, and her breathing is erratic. There seems to be a loss of fluids, but it is not affecting her readings at all. I am not able to determine the source."

Joker was listening in, "She's crying, EDI. Leave it be." He wasn't the most sympathetic person on board, but in this instance…he just wanted everyone to leave Shepard alone. It was him that told Chakwas to set up everything in Evie's room. There were very few who knew the extent of what Evie was going through. Shepard was all business when it came to her crew. She trusted everyone; they were family – a clan. They never saw her vulnerable side. Somehow along the way, Joker had been upgraded from pilot to best friend to confidante. And in all actuality, Joker wouldn't have it any other way.

Someone needed to think of Shepard first.

Kaidan kept to himself, he didn't want to be there and they most definitely didn't want to be there either.

"I would tell you that you should sleep in the bathroom, but that would still be too good for you."

Kaidan sighed and folded his arms over his chest. Leaning on the console next to Joker, he jumped slightly when EDI's sphere popped up.

"There is an empty bunk in the crew quarters, Jeff."

"I'm aware of that, EDI. But, I think I'll offer up the floor of my cabin. At least I'll be able to keep an eye on him there."

"You spend most of your nights out here, Jeff."

"_Yes_, I know that EDI. Thank you. That is all…"

"I'm only offering up my cabin because I have to. And because I don't want you sneaking around, we've done nothing to deserve this. We should be getting medals, not interrogated. Of course, you of all people should know this, but instead of understanding…you nearly kill your fucking girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend anymore."

"Oh? Did her being dead somehow change that?"

"No. Finding out she was working for Cerberus did."

"We were never working for Cerberus, and just so you know… When she found out what The Illusive Man really wanted, she made sure that he knew we weren't on the same side anymore. Even his own people turned against him."

"And that somehow makes the situation better?"

"Honestly, I don't understand why you got so butt-hurt with her. Maybe if you talked to her, you would understand what was going on. She fucking loves you, idiot." Joker shook his head. "I don't fucking know why, but she does. I don't think you deserve her."

"You sound jealous."

Joker smirked and chuckled before standing. "No, I'm not jealous. I actually care about her well-being. I'm her _friend_, that's more than I can say for you. You don't belong here, Alenko. And Maker help you when she finds out we're stuck with you. I don't envy you." With that, Joker walked away and let Kaidan think about the situation he was in.


	3. Chapter 3

This whole situation was fucked up, and Joker knew it. Worst of all, who was going to tell Shepard about it? That was the million-dollar question. However, someone needed to. Finding out on her own would end badly for everyone on the ship.

Heading into the mess hall, Joker grabbed a tray of food for Shepard before heading up to her cabin. It was as if he was on a death march, or rather it was the longest walk of his life. The woosh of the elevator opening was the only sound he could hear above the beating of his own heart. Still walking with a significant limp, Joker wasn't so afraid of breaking bones as much as he was before signing on with Cerberus.

Standing in front of Shepard's cabin door, Joker debated on if this was such a good idea. Balancing the tray on one hand, he opened the door and carefully entered the room. "Commander?" He spoke softly as he looked toward the bed. The only light in the room was given off by the faint blue glow of the fish tank.

"Hey." Evie said as she stirred. She hadn't been asleep, of course. Wiping her eyes with her arm, she struggled to sit up in bed. Reaching, she clicked on the bedside lamp and tried to tuck the picture frame under the pillow. Joker saw it, but he didn't say anything.

"I brought you some dinner."

"Thanks." She smiled. Joker was the only one on the ship who ever saw her relax since she died. The only person that really knew that she was a woman as well as a Spectre and their Commander. Evie appreciated that. Kaidan had left a hole in her heart, and she was afraid that it would have changed her. "I'm not really hungry right now."

Joker nodded and set the tray on the coffee table. "How are you doing?" he stopped at the foot of her bed and folded his arms across his chest.

Ungracefully, Evie shrugged her shoulders and reached up to brush her bangs out of her eyes. "Honestly, I don't know. You would think that it would get easier, right?" Her head shook and she sighed. "I guess it would have been easier if we actually broke up, huh?" The tears welled up in her eyes again and she turned her head away from Joker. Even she was uncomfortable having him see her cry, especially over Kaidan.

"Evie, it'll be okay." Joker felt horrible, and it made him feel even worse because of the news he had to tell her. Moving to the opposite side of the bed, he sat on the edge and scooted closer to her. Most of the time, Joker didn't like touching anyone. But, he comforted Evie; he gathered her in his arms and almost immediately, she began to sob again. The uncontrollable, heart wrenching sobs. He'd never heard that kind of sound from anyone before, let alone his commanding officer.

It was a little odd for him, he'd admit, but she'd been there for him. It seemed like an even trade.

"Shh, Evie." Joker closed his eyes and sighed softly, cradling the woman against his chest. Joker closed his eyes and just let her cry. His news could wait, even if it might get him killed.

* * *

><p>Kaidan paced around the mess hall, which is located ironically where his post used to be on the original Normandy. Thoughts were running through his head as fast as light. There were things he needed to do and things he wanted to do. Maybe Joker was right; maybe he did need to talk things out with Evie.<p>

The only thing stopping him was the fact that he felt that he had nothing to explain to anyone. He wasn't the one in the wrong, was he? There was a lot of anger and sorrow that boiled inside of him. His friends had tried to get him to move on, and he had – or so he thought.

He had mourned Eventide for a year before finally allowing himself to move on. He had come in contact with Rahna again, he figured it was Fate giving him another chance.

However, he hadn't mentioned that to her. Not that it was any of anybody's business who or what he did. Right? Right.

Mess Sergeant Gardner was all but staring at Kaidan as he paced before he shook his head and went about getting dinner finished. Shaking his head, Kaidan strode toward the elevator that would take him to Shepard's quarters. Tali had been nice enough to give him a tour of the ship. She seemed to be the only one that didn't hate him; then again it could have been because she was heavily medicated and sick. She seemed happy enough to see him, and it was actually a relief.

Stepping out of the elevator, he approached the cabin doors, and suddenly EDI's spherical form appeared outside the door. "I do not advise you to go in there, Commander Alenko."

"I appreciate your concern, EDI. But, I need to speak with Commander Shepard."

"I highly adv—"

Reaching over, Kaidan typed on the small computer and disabled EDI temporarily. He'd get shit for it later. Right now, he didn't care.

Nearly slapping his palm against the button, the door slid open and he stepped inside the room. The original Normandy didn't have anything like this, but he supposed that it had been Cerberus' additions.

Dark eyes scanned the room. There were trinkets littering a small desk in the corner, and atop a shelf behind it was a glass cage with a hamster in it. A wall-sized fish tank gave the room its only source of light.

Kaidan could see a silhouette outlined in the bed; it was sitting up but slightly slumped to the side. He should have left, even Kaidan realized it, but for some reason he couldn't. His curiosity had been piqued and reaching over, he switched the lamp on the desk on. It would have been rude of him to turn the halogens on. Though, he had thought about it.

Soft light flooded the room, and it took a moment for Kaidan's eyes to adjust. But, when they did, the sight he saw made his vision swim red with anger. Joker was leaning against the headboard and Evie was tucked under his arm, her head against his chest as she slept. Jealousy fueled his next course of action. The sudden brightening of the room caused Joker and Evie to stir, but when Kaidan began to emit that cerulean glow, it was too late to react.

Evie didn't even have time to register what was happening when Joker flew across her cabin and hit the opposite wall with force enough to knock him out. Pictures and models clattered to the floor noisily. Being that Evie was so close to Joker when he was tossed, she was knocked out of bed with the blast. Luckily, Chakwas disconnected her from the monitors earlier when Joker came up so she didn't get tangled with the wires, but she did land on the floor in a heap.

"What? I don'—I don't understand." Evie shook her head and tried to figure out what was going on. Once she freed herself from the blankets, Kaidan could see that she was fully clothed in a tank top and short shorts, and he could see the cast that covered much of her left leg, from mid-thigh to her ankle. The blue glow in the room pulsed like a heartbeat, but began to subside as Evie used the bed to try and raise herself up.

Something caught her eye, and she turned her head toward the far end of her room. Her hand groped the bedside table for her glasses and she put them on. "Kaidan! What the fuck are you doing in here?" Confusion laced her words as she tried to process what in the hell he was doing on the Normandy, let alone her personal cabin.

Long platinum hair was in disarray around her face as she finally could see Joker on the floor on the opposite side of the bed. "What? What did you do to him?"

Anger still pulsed off of Kaidan in waves, "I should have known!" He pointed a finger at Evie in an accusing manor. He had no reason to be upset, but he was. Closing the distance across the room, his face twisted and he couldn't seem to calm himself down.

"The fuck? What should you have known? What have you done? Joker!" Evie did her best to pull herself to her feet. She did it, but the pain was almost blinding. Her crutches were nowhere near her, so she used the edge of the bed to navigate around. But, before she was half way to Joker, Evie felt a hand painfully close around her wrist and she was hauled away from the bed and she lost any sort of balance she had and fell to the ground, but Kaidan still had an iron grip on her wrist.

"I should have known you would be more concerned about him than you would be me."

"What are you _talking_ about?" Short gasps of breath were all Evie could muster, and the sharp pain made mewls seep from her throat. "I don't understand." Trying to pull her arm free of Kaidan, she looked up at him finally. Tears stained her bruised and battered face.

"I should have known you were fucking him."

"I was _what_?" Her voice rose, and the incredulous tone took over. "I don't know what you've been smoking, Kaidan. But I was definitely not fucking Joker."

"You're lying!" Kaidan all but flung Evie against the end of the bed by her arm, and she cried out yet again in pain.

Shaking her head at Kaidan, she half crawled over to Joker. "You're fucking insane, Kaidan." She murmured and rolled Joker over, pressing her fingers to his neck to make sure he was still alive. "You could have fucking killed him, you know."

"Then why was he in your bed, Evie?"

"Because he was being a friend and comforting me while I was crying over _you._" She shot a look over her shoulder at Kaidan and shook her head.

"Yeah, and I'm supposed to believe he was in your bed because you were crying over me."

"I would get up and show you something, but I can't really move at the moment. Go over to the left hand side of the bed, look under the pillow. While you're at it, look on the bedside table as well."

Kaidan didn't know what to think or do, but he did what she asked of him and went over to her side of the bed and lifted the pillow. Under it, he saw a picture of him. Picking up the picture, he noticed that there were stains on the glass; it looked as if she cried on the picture. And she had.

On the bedside table was the necklace he had given her, it had been Kaidan's mothers'. It was hanging on the frame of a picture of them taken after they stopped Saren and Sovereign; they were on shore leave and decided to take a couple days to themselves.

"Now, ask yourself this, Kaidan. Why would I be fucking him while I had your tear stained picture under my pillow as well as something I value more than anything on my desk? Answer: I wouldn't."

What had he done?

After checking Joker over, Evie sighed softly. His arm was likely broken if not his legs as well from the impact of the blow. Scratching her brow, where her scar had been before, Evie thought for a moment. She still wasn't sure what to think about what had just happened, but she wanted to know. There was a lot that had been left out, it seemed. "Listen, Kaidan. I'm going to give you one shot to redeem yourself of your little fuck up. Joker needs medical attention. I can't carry him, let alone let anyone else know what went on in here without getting you killed for it. And as much as I should let Grunt tear you limb from limb, I'm going to give you a chance. Why? I'm not sure, and it may very well return one day and bite me in the ass, but…" She shook her head. "Anyway, take Joker to Chakwas. Explain that you scared him or whatever. Make something up, I'll explain to Joker later, and if he chooses to hunt you down, so be it."

Kaidan nodded, his anger was fading and there was a lump in his stomach the size of a meteor. Moving over to where Evie was, he lifted her up first and set her on the edge of the bed before carefully lifting Joker up and without another word; he took him out of the room and down to Chakwas.

How in the hell was he going to explain this?


End file.
